


Coming Home

by generallythere19



Series: Captain Swan Fluff [8]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, Comfort/Angst, F/M, Post 6x14, Spoilers, angst with happy ending, but eh it's all about forgiveness, killian accepting himself, needed to get some angst out of the way, not really fluff, that's always good right?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 08:21:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10486419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generallythere19/pseuds/generallythere19
Summary: Emma finds Killian sitting on the steps of the front porch, in front of their home.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Set after 6x14. There's no mention of any Gideon/Emma drama. I needed to write this because of the emotional debacle that was the last episode oml; I was in actual tears. Anyway - SPOILERS AHEAD. I'm just putting that warning in twice.

Emma could feel her fingers going numb even though she had her gloves on. She didn't mind – the cold nipping at her made her feel better than she had in the last two days. She hadn't even driven the bug to the loft, which didn't help her case. Every time she thought of the loft, she would picture the pitying glances she got from her parents, Regina, and Henry. Instead of it giving her consolation, she felt white, hot anger every time she thought of that. She chose to think about that instead of him. Instead of how it had felt to come back to an empty house – to know he had left; to know he had abandoned her. Which was why, as she hurried towards the house, she stopped short in complete shock. Relief spread through her as she saw him sitting on the porch. He looked up at her and she could see how unsure he was about her reaction.

“Killian,” she barely whispered, not moving. It was as if he was an illusion that would shatter the second she moved towards him.

“Emma,” he responded, standing up, trying to hide the crushing guilt that he felt when she didn't walk towards him. It was one of those rare times where he wasn't able to read her emotions behind her expression of shock. He couldn't tell if she was happy to see him or not. There was a deafening silence before he said, “I'm sorry.”

It was as if something broke and Emma almost ran towards him, surprising him with a kiss. In a state of shocked relief, he kissed her back, his hand and hook automatically assuming their position on her back and waist. When they parted, both of them had tear-stained cheeks, standing outside the house, forehead-to-forehead.

“I thought you had left,” Emma said, and, although the word was unspoken, Killian knew she meant that he had left her. He shook his head, a sad, pleading smile on his face and replied, “I would never leave you.”

“Why didn't you go inside?” Emma asked later, when they were warming themselves before the fire. Contrary to how they had been just two nights ago, they were sitting as far apart as was humanely possible – on opposite ends of the couch.

“I... couldn't,” he answered, looking at the ground, feeling the shame he had suppressed in favour of fear – fear that he wouldn't be able to tell her he didn't ever want to leave – now rise within him. There was a brief silence before Emma said, “Do you remember what I said right before we went to Neverland?” How could he forget: it had been the first time someone actually understood him. But he didn't reply, allowing her to continue, “I said that we understood each other. I didn't fully believe it then. But now... Killian, we can't keep having secrets. Not with each other. Not like these. We've been through this too many times – we should know better.”

“I wanted to tell you, Emma. I really did. But then...” he trailed off. It seemed beneath him to give excuses; she deserved better than that. She moved towards him cautiously, as if they were made of glass. She gently slipped her hand into his, intertwining their fingers.

“You should have told me,” she said, softly. Before he could apologize, she added, “But I understand why you didn't.”

“You do?” He said, surprise hitting him again. He briefly registered something round pressed between their palms.

“It doesn't excuse what you did. But, all sins can be forgiven when someone loves you,” she echoed his words and pulled her hand out of his. He realised there was something in his palm and looked to see the ring he had given and gotten back. He looked at her in confusion before realisation dawned; he went down on one knee, holding out the ring, and said, “Emma Swan, will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

Like clockwork, in a state of complete shock, he mechanically slipped the ring onto her finger. When he felt it tighten, the emotional reality of the situation hit him and he felt everything inside him crumple. He could feel Emma's arms around him as he took in sharp breaths, trying to rein in the tears that were freefalling. When she finally pulled away from him, he looked at her and said, “I love you,” although the words didn't seem nearly enough to clarify how much he loved her.  

“I love you too,” she said, taking his hook and hand into her hands, and Killian realised he didn't need to clarify after all. The ring playfully glinted at him – a reminder of what he was sure he had lost now served as a beacon of hope – as Emma leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, slowly assauging his guilt. And, for the first time in two days, Emma felt like she was coming home.


End file.
